What to use for insulation

[busybee53]

I plan to put some fondant on using an eke. What do folk think is best to use as insulation to fill in the gaps? Having seen what they do to newspaper when colonies are united I would like some advice.

Thanks for your help.

 

[region2]

I use fondant in a take-away tub above the crownboard with celotex (foil-foam-foil sandwich) in the roof 365 days

R2

 

[enrico]

They will survive with or without insulation.......why bother, if they are fed and reasonably strong they are meant to survive the cold without blankets!!!
E

 

[susbees]

Using a takeaway tub over the Porter bee escape hole works well. Quickest insulation over that is bubble wrap. We have ours set into thick Kingspan offcut squares with a loose piece over the top of the tub which can be removed to top up the tub.

Enrico - with the hike in sugar prices I'd much rather use insulation (at no cost...ask on Freegle etc) than pile on extra fondant.

 

[victor meldrew]

, if they are fed and reasonably strong they are meant to survive the cold without blankets!!!
E

Not really . they are meant to survive Winter in an environment of their own choosing ,which wouldn't include a box with a thin plywood inner cover plus a thin plywood metal clad outer cover especially an inner cover with match stick spacers creating top ventilation !
If able to, they would prefer a hollow tree with a few feet of dead, dry,moisture absorbing, insulating heart wood above their heads . Certainly no ventilation above or below except the entrance hole !
VM

 

[MandF]

Biggest advantage of using kingspan/celotex I have found so far is no water/condensation in the roof space above the CB.

It is worth getting hold of. I tried freegle with no luck. I also tried a few local timber merchants/wickes etc for broken pieces with no luck.

In the end I bought a small section from wickes for £5, which is enough for 2 nationals with some extra offcuts.

 

[For want of a better word]

an inner cover with match stick spacers creating top ventilation !

Where do you get these silly ideas from ?​

 

[Hivemaker.]

B Adam used thick slabs of cork for insulation.

 

[victor meldrew]

an inner cover with match stick spacers creating top ventilation !

Where do you get these silly ideas from ?​

Source of my info seems to have disappeared
VM

 

[For want of a better word]

B Adam used thick slabs of cork for insulation.

Quercus suber​

There is a nice big one growing in Edgecombe Park... but I think they may notice a bit missing?

 

[adrian wilford]

look out for skips on building sites, could place to get some for nowt or a jar of honey if you have one in the car

 

[bobster]

They will survive with or without insulation.......why bother, if they are fed and reasonably strong they are meant to survive the cold without blankets!!!

Not always true. It depends very much on your locale. If there is not enough insulation between the winter cluster in the hive and the outside then you can get condensation inside the hive. This will kill them. Also, I'd rather have my bees come through winter as a strong colony with surplus stores than have them on the edge of starvation come spring.

Bobster

 

[Arfermo]

They will survive with or without insulation.......why bother, if they are fed and reasonably strong they are meant to survive the cold without blankets!!!
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Having seen what they do to newspaper when colonies are united I would like some advice.
Thanks for your help.

If you put yur fondant in an invrted tub they shouldn't get at the insulation. so feel free to use newspqper

 

[MuswellMetro]

Not really . they are meant to survive Winter in an environment of their own choosing ,which wouldn't include a box with a thin plywood inner cover plus a thin plywood metal clad outer cover especially an inner cover with match stick spacers creating top ventilation !
If able to, they would prefer a hollow tree with a few feet of dead, dry,moisture absorbing, insulating heart wood above their heads . Certainly no ventilation above or below except the entrance hole !
VM

all the old films we have that were made by elstree studios in the 1920's and 30;s ( cameramen members of our BKA) show the use of Insulation in winter (straw, old pillows, folder Army blankets or large amount of sacking)

interestingly most National or Taylor cottager hive seem also to be running as brood and a half

 

[Russel]

all the old films we have that were made by elstree studios in the 1920's and 30;s ( cameramen members of our BKA) show the use of Insulation in winter (straw, old pillows, folder Army blankets or large amount of sacking)

interestingly most National or Taylor cottager hive seem also to be running as brood and a half

May not be the best solution but tis' cheap and in keeping with most BK's ethos?
Both the Build Centre and B & Q are selling rolls of 200mm loft insulation @ £1 a roll covers 5sq m iirc, tuck inside old pillow case or similar. Or maybe not?

 

[victor meldrew]

all the old films we have that were made by elstree studios in the 1920's and 30;s ( cameramen members of our BKA) show the use of Insulation in winter (straw, old pillows, folder Army blankets or large amount of sacking)

interestingly most National or Taylor cottager hive seem also to be running as brood and a half

Sorry to bring my old Ukrainian friend into the equation but his hives were on the style of the wbc with straight rather than sloping lifts . Each winter he used to pack the cavity twixed the lifts and brood boxes with news paper . After seeing my single walled hives he shrugged and said "If your bees survive in those hives ,I think I'll stop this practice ".and he did but he still piled insulation on top of his quilts, ah yes! he did use quilts instead of crown boards with the added bonus that being heavily propolised , they acted rather like manipulating cloths ,in as much as he only exposed the frames he was working on and the wind never dislodged the whole shooting match .
The old ways still have some validity today
VM

 

[xgeordie]

Both the Build Centre and B & Q are selling rolls of 200mm loft insulation @ £1 a roll covers 5sq m iirc, tuck inside old pillow case or similar. Or maybe not?

I would not use the stuff that you need a mask and gloves with. Most of the DIY chains now offer an eco alternative which would be better IMO.

 

[busybee53]

Thanks for all the advice. No xgeordie I was not going to use fibreglass.

I will be using polystyrene wrapped in foil in one hive and dried lavender stalks in the other, so I am glad to see Muswell Metro's mention of straw.

Lavender stalks are like straw but smell nice - they love it. I used it in my feeder to make sure they didn't drown.

I will also be keeping an eye open for some cork. Thanks everyone.

 

[Poly Hive]

Bees will shred cling film... dinna underestimate their chomping power.

I use Dupont floormate which I buy or scrounge from Sheffield insulations who are a national company so there is likely a branch new you and they have scrap bins... hint...LOL

PH